Chap. VIL `'file HISTORY of the PuRrrANS. 3 faint attempts were made this fummer for reviving the exercifes Zupen called prophefyings, in the diocefe of Chefler, where the clergy were very ) hza8beth, ignorant: Bithop Chadderton drew up proper regulations, in imitation of thofe already mentioned ; but the defign proved abortive. The bifhop PYePhefytngs of Litchfield and Coventry, alto publifhed Tome articles for his vitation, sr ÿt edsAnn. which favoured of puritanifm, as againft non-refidents, for making a p. 328. more ftrid enquiry into the qualifications of minifters, and for reftrain- ing unworthy communicants. He alfo erectted a kind of judicatory, confifling of four learned divines with himfelf, to examine luch as fhould be prefented for ordination. When the archbifhop had read them over, he called them the well fpring ofa pernicious platform, and repre- fented them to the queen, as contrary to law, and to the fettled flee of the church ; the bifhop wrote a defence of his articles to the archbifhop, M.S. p. 5i5. (hewing their confiftency with law, and the great advantage which might arife from them; but Whitgift would hear of nothing that looked like a puritanical reformation. The Lord's day was nów very much profaned, by the encouraging ofBillfor the plays and fports in the evening, and fometimes in the afternoon. The ebjervar :onof Reverend Mr. Smith, M. A. in his fermon before the univerfity of Cam- reested bh bridge, the firft Sunday in Lent, maintained the unlawfulnefs of there the queen. for which he was fummoned before the vice-chancellor, and upon Sty pe'sAnn. examination offered to prove, that the chriftian Sabbath ought to be ob- P' 3¢1. ferved by an abflinence from all worldly bufinefs, and fpent in works of piety and charity ; though he did not apprehend we were bound to the . flrtf.nefs of the7ewifh precepts. The parliament had taken this matter Ibid. .p..295.. into confideration, and palled a bill for the better and more reverent ob- fervation of the Sabbath, which the fpeaker recommended to the queen in an elegant fpeech, but her majefty refuted to pats it, under pretence of not fuffering the parliament to meddle with matters of religion, whichwas her prerogative. However the thing appeared fo reafonable, that with. out the fandion of a law, the religious obfervation of the fabbath grew. into efleem with all lober perlons, and after a few years became the diftin- guifhing mark of a puritan. This fummer Mr. Cartwright returned from abroad, having fpent five Mr. Cart- years in preaching to the Engli/h congregation at Antwerp; he had been wright re- feized with an ague, which ended in an he tick, for which the phyficians England advifed- him to his native air. Upon this he wrote to the earl of Leicetter and the lord treafurer, for leave to come home; there noblemen made an honourable mention of him in parliament, but he could not obtain their mediation with the queen for his pardon, fo that as loon as it was knowb he was landed, though in a weak and languithing condition, he was apprehended and thrown into .prifon; when he appeared before the arch- bifhop,
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